Channel partners work with a lot of vendors and, like you, are very busy. They are constantly being blasted by you and all of their other vendors.  Bottom line: They need you to help them, so they can help you. Here’s the link to Jerry Maguire if you can’t get that line out of your head now.

One of the best ways to help your partners is by better communicating your company and its products and services to them. Here are the top three reasons you need to market to the channel:

1. Stay top-of-mind:  You need to market to your channel partners in order to stay top-of-mind. Most likely, your channel partners are working with more than one vendor and selling multiple products. That means that your competition is also vying for their attention. But, you want to be thought of first. Remind your channel partners why they should do business with you.
2. Inform them of new products:  Your channel partners will only know about the great things happening within your company and the amazing products to be released if you keep them informed. Good communication will also give your channel partners more confidence in your company. The more you keep your partners in the loop, the better they can plan their business as well.
3. Help them sell more:  By educating your channel partners about your latest and greatest offerings, they can pass on this knowledge to their end customers. This relay of the most important benefits along with communicating the right message will make the sales process more cohesive and streamlined – ultimately increasing revenues. Knowledge is power after all.

It’s important to note that you do not want to overwhelm your channel partners with too much communication (read our blog on over communicating) or they will tune out. It’s a strategic juggling act of establishing a good relationship with your partners and continually marketing your company, resources, products and services.

Whether your goal is online engagement for demand and lead generation, communicating benefits of your channel program, or leveraging social media to engage partners, marketing to channel partners can get you the results you’re looking for. Of course, we’re here to help if you need help creating your strategic channel marketing  plan.

What are some of the ways you are marketing to partners today?

Photo credit: Market Extension

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